2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Mixed Reality Teleoperation Platform for Experiential Manufacturing Education

Mixed Reality (MR) technologies are redefining the way humans interact with physical systems by merging real and digital environments. Research shows that human operators perform tasks up to 66% faster in immersive 3D environments such as MR compared to conventional 2D interfaces. Translating this capability into manufacturing education presents an opportunity to enhance experiential learning. When applied to educational contexts, these immersive environments can improve students’ learning experiences, deepen conceptual understanding, and provide hands-on practice in safe and accessible conditions.
Building on this potential, the present work leverages industrial teleoperation technologies within an MR-enabled digital twin framework to develop an interactive training platform for manufacturing education. The proposed platform enables real-time communication between a physical six-degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) robotic arm and its virtual counterpart to create an interactive MR environment for hands-on learning and control in manufacturing education.
In this study, we exhibit the technical contributions of the platform’s development. The study focuses on the development of the MR environment and the design and integration of advanced control algorithms aimed at minimizing communication latency and ensuring real-time synchronization between the physical and virtual systems. Three control strategies (i.e., event-driven, adaptive smoothing, and predictive control) were designed and tested, with the best strategy achieving an average latency below 10 milliseconds. These control protocols enabled a responsive digital twin environment that accurately replicates real-world robotic behavior.
Beyond its technical foundation, the platform demonstrates significant educational potential in manufacturing training. It allows students to visualize, control, and analyze robotic operations within a safe and immersive MR environment, gaining hands-on experience with industrial systems without requiring direct physical access. The system supports interactive instruction in manufacturing processes, control theory, and human–robot collaboration. This work highlights the future potential of MR-enabled teleoperation systems to transform manufacturing education by providing experiential learning opportunities that bridge theory and practice, enhance systems-level understanding, and prepare students for Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing applications.

Authors

Dr. Israa Azzam Milwaukee School of Engineering [biography]

Dr. Azzam is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE). Her teaching philosophy centers on creating an inclusive, learner-focused environment that emphasizes experiential learning, teamwork, and innovation. Dr. Azzam's goal is to integrate multiple teaching techniques and state-of-the-art methods to help students succeed. A major part of her approach is using advanced technologies such as Extended Reality (XR) in lectures and labs. She aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice, equipping students with essential STEM skills to thrive as innovators and future leaders.
Dr. Azzam earned her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Purdue University in 2025, where she specialized in digital technologies and control systems. Her doctoral research focused on industrial teleoperations, XR technology, and engineering education, and has been recognized with multiple awards.
Before pursuing her Ph.D., Dr. Azzam completed her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering at Beirut Arab University (2019) and her M.E. in Mechanical Engineering at the American University of Beirut (2021). Her graduate work at AUB provided a strong theoretical foundation in control systems, which she expanded into applied research at Purdue, where she collaborated with industry partners on simulation-based and XR-integrated modules for engineering education.
Khalid Bello University of Louisville [biography]

Khalid Bello is a graduate student at University of Louisville.
Dr. Farid El Breidi http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4959-3292 Purdue University - Purdue Polytechnic Institute – West Lafayette [biography]

Dr. Farid El Breidi is an Assistant Professor in the School of Engineering Technology at Purdue University. Dr. El Breidi is the director of the Digital Technologies Lab and is actively engaged in research encompassing digital fluid power, digital reality, and engineering pedagogy. He serves as the Principal Investigator for numerous internally and externally funded research projects. These projects have received support from agencies and associations such as the National Science Foundation and the National Fluid Power Association.
Dr. Faisal Aqlan http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0695-5364 University of Louisville [biography]

Dr. Faisal Aqlan is an Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering at The University of Louisville. He received his Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering form The State University of New York at Binghamton.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026